Imagine a home that's truly organized — and then imagine you live there! You can do it...in just one weekend. Here's a how one family mastered their mess.

Getting Organized

Getting Organized

One family's living room looked like a demolition zone until an organization expert hired by Good Housekeeping turned it into an oasis of order. A decluttering plan also worked wonders on a crazy mess of a closet and a packed-to-the-rafters garage. The secret: anti-mess mantras, which will help you organize any area of your home.

Anti-Mess Mantras

Anti-Mess Mantras

Assess what you have and toss what you don't need. To keep the job manageable, do a few hours of work each weekend. Recruit a friend. Listen to music or sip some wine while you sort.

When sorting, group your possessions into categories. For example, in your closet, hang all the skirts together, all the blouses, etc.

Give everything a home. Store your essentials at eye level. Stuff you need once a year? Think basement or attic. Following these rules, you can banish years' worth of clutter in days. Even better: A month later, the rooms still exude a Zen-like calm.